On Tap: Stone's Imperial Russian Stout

There are times in this crazy, mixed-up, spinning planet we call life that you have to sit back and smell the roses. Those times arise less and less often as we grow up, but the crux of the saying is true. Then, there are times you have to stop and smell the roasted hops, the deep chocolates, the toffee and the coffee aromas of life.

This happens to be one of those times.

Not so long ago, a very well-known bartender and all-around alcohol afficienado, Melton Adams, and I were chatting about some of the beers we had recently tasted. He told me of a Stone Brewery stout that he happened upon that was one of the best beers he'd tried in a while. As he described it, I couldn't tell if he was happy or distressed over the beer. The first thing he mentioned was that it poured like oil from the bottle. Now, I didn't know if that meant the beer was thick, very dark or a bit of both, but I was both frightened and intrigued by the prospect.

Melton went on to tell me that it took him about an hour and a half to send the 22-ounce bottle back from whence this black lagoon monstrosity came from. And finally, he said it the whole thing was worth it and I needed to give it a try.

After some time, this conversation popped into my head once more and I started thinking about the Stone Russian Imperial Stout he mentioned more and more. It was rather like a recording in my head. So, when I saw it at Whole Foods in Greenville and again at the Quik Stop wall of beer in Clemson, I knew it was time to bite the dark and murky bullet and get to the trying.

I decided to share the brew with your friend and mine, Michael Staton. Michael was over after the recent storm when his electricity went out and we had occasion to pop the top and see what was inside this Russian Imperial Stout bottle.

I split the 22-ounce bottle into two pint glasses, paying particular attention to this pour more than just about any other I had performed in my life. Melton, was right. This beer poured like it was oil, molasses or some other dark, rich liquid you only see in a couple places.

Though the liquid itself was not thick, it certainly looked that way. And it poured smoothly into the glass, creating only a minimal, mocha-colored head that was practically invisible after a few moments.

One thing we should all do when trying this beer is hold it up to the light. Barely a flicker of light will get through the glass, I guarantee. This beer is like a black hole. Light can't escape, nor can it get through even when invited. It's something to behold.

Like the strength of appearance, the Russian Imperial Stout is just as strong in aroma. The first hit that comes is of coffee. I'm not the biggest coffee drinker, but I know what it smells like and this was it. That smell was backed up by toffee, chocolate and plenty of roasted malts to balance everything out. Be prepared for the smell because it's strong. This beer is obviously not messing around and knows how to play rough.

The aromas that come from the nose also kick you right in the gut from the very first taste. Personally, I got the roasted malts first. They were pronounced and very dominant to the tastebuds, though they were lost on the nose. Then came the coffee, the toffee and, finally, a touch of caramel or something sweet like that to round it out.

The best part about this brew is that no matter how thick it seems, it doesn't attach itself to your tongue. There is no cloying feeling in the mouth and the Russian Imperial is more about a smooth drink from start to finish than about making it so thick that only a few people would want to buy it.

The aftertaste, however, is there with a bit more alcohol flavor than one would expect from the Stone Brewery. It's right in your face and can seem a little over the top, especially at the end.

This is easily one of the best stouts I have ever had and, like many of Stone's brews, I would have another and another. But it's best to enjoy these about six months apart and, if you have it, get someone to drink one with you.

At $7 per bottle at stores like Whole Foods and the Clemson Quik Mart, this is one of those beers you have every once in a while. But make sure you have it, otherwise you overall beer experience will be lacking.